Float light

ABSTRACT

An illuminating device including a floating body and a sealed beam lamp supported face down in the body for projecting a light beam from the bottom of the body. Support means are provided in the body to prevent the lamps from dropping down, and flexible retainer members are provided in the body for lateral movement above the lamp to releasably retain the lamp in place.

limited States Patent [72] Inventor George 11. Harvey 6408 Thunder-birdDrive, Nashville, Tenn.

2,593,171 3,064,122 11/1962 Reeder, Jr. 3,464,139 9/1969 Eggers.....

[21] Appl. No. 076,854 [22] Filed Nov. 14, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 7,1971 Primary ExaminerJames J. Gill AttorneyHarrington A. Lackey [54]FLUAT LIGHT 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: An illuminating device including a floating body ported facedown in the body for and a sealed beam lamp sup m 9/8'3 240/64 240/511projecting a light beam from the bottom of the body. Support [51] lnt.means are provided in the Fzlvzl/m) body to prevent the lamps from E;dropping down, and flexible retainer members are provided in the bodyfor lateral movement above the lamp to releasably retain the lamp inplace [50] Field oiSearch.................... 43/175; 240/26, 52, 6.4CE, 7.5, 6.4, 1 1.2, 52.1,

PATENTED DEB 7197i SHEET 1 OF 2 lNVENTOR GEORGE H. HARVEY ATTORNEYPATENTEDBEE 7197! 3526173 SHEET 2 UF 2 INVENTOR GEORGE H. HARVEY Y EM/W1-%M//,r-

/ ATTORNEY FLOAT Llcu'r BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to an illuminating device, and more particularly to a floatlight.

Floating lights are generally known in the art. There are on the marketflashlights sealed in hollow or buoyant casings to permit them to float,if accidentally dropped into the water. Furthermore, it is known thatlight attracts fish, and lights have been used in various ways inconnection with fishing apparatus or conventional floats for theattraction of fish.

Many of these fishing light lures are of rather complicatedconstructions, and therefore quite expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention contemplates a float light,primarily designed for use in fishing, but also having many other uses.This illuminating device incorporates one or more relatively powerful,sealed beam lamps secured within a buoyant or floating body to form acompact unit, in which the lamps are readily accessible for removal andreplacement.

The lamps are provided with electrical energy from a separate, andremote, electrical storage battery through electrical leads.

The illuminating device also contemplates a bail for carrying the body,which is interrelated with the lamp retaining means so that the lampsare retained in place while the body is being carried.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevation of thedevice in operation as a fishing lure, showing the float light unitfloating in the water and the battery carried in a boat, shownfragmentarily;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the float unit; and

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, of the floatonly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings inmore detail, FIG. ll discloses the illuminating apparatus including thefloat unit 12, electrical storage battery 13 and the connectingelectrical cable M. The illuminating device It) is depicted in FIG. 1for use as a lure or means for attracting fish 15. For use as a lure,the battery 13 may be supported in a boat 17, or it may rest upon thebank of a stream, river or lake, in which the presence of fish issuspected. The opposite ends of the cable 14 are connected to thebattery 13 and the float unit 12, and the float unit 112 deposited inthe water to float upon the surface 18.

The float unit 12 comprises a buoyant body 20, such as a block of foamedplastic, such as polystyrene foam. A pair of cylindrical lamp holes 21are formed entirely through the foam block from top to bottom to receivea pair of electrical sealed beam lamps 22, such as the l2-volthead-light sealed beams used in motor vehicles.

To support the lamps 22 within the holes 21, an annular ledge 24 isformed intermediately between the top and bottom of each hole 21 so thatthe lower portion 25 of each hole 21 is of slightly smaller diameterthan the upper portion 26 of the hole. The diameter of the lower holeportion 25 is slightly less than the diameter of the lamp 22, so thatthe lamp 22 may rest upon the annular ledge 24, face down, withoutdanger of dropping through the bottom of the hole 21. However, theannular ledge 24 offers no restraint to the upward movement of the lamp22, for easy removal and replacement of the lamp within the hole 21.

Extending longitudinally through guide holes 28 in the float block 20are a pair of elongated flexible members, such as the elongated metalwires 29 and 30. The wires 29 and 30 are disposed parallel to each otherand spaced apart a distance less than the maximum diameter of each lamp22 and equally spaced on opposite sides of the common center line of thelamps 22. The opposite ends of the flexible wires 29 and 30 extendoutward from opposite ends of the float block 20 and are joined to eachother and to the opposite ends of a flexible wire bail 32. The bail 32extends the length of and across the top of the float block 20. There isenough spacing between the connections of the bail 32 and the wires 29and 30 to permit limited longitudinal movement of the wires 29 and 30through their respective guide holes 28.

Thus, by moving either or both wires 29 and 30 laterally or upward awayfrom engagement with the back of the lamp 22, each lamp 22 may be tiltedto be moved upward past the retaining wires 29 and 30 and thereby becompletely removed from the float block 20. The portions of the wire 29and 30 which actually cross and come in contact with the back of thelamps 22 may be encased in sleeves 33 of soft material which willprotect the surface of the back of the lamps 22. Such sleeves 33 may beof rubber or any other soft material.

The bail 32 may be provided with a cable guide 34 in the form of aneyelet for receiving the branch leads 35, each of which is connected byan electrical connector 36 to a lamp 22, and which merges into the cableM. The remote end of the cable 114 is again divided into branch leads37, each of which is provided with alligator clips 38 to fit on theposts 39 of the storage battery 13. The cable 14 may be of any desiredlength, depending upon how far the float unit 112 is to be positionedaway from the battery 13.

The illuminating device I0 may also be used as a fishing lure aspreviously described and disclosed in FIG. I, but may also be used forother illuminating purposes. The bail 32 may be hung upon an overheadsupport, such as a tree branch to provide an overhead source ofillumination for camping or other outdoor activities. The float unit 12and cable M may be carried in the trunk of a car, where they will beavailable for use as an emergency light by connecting the alligatorclips 38 to the post 39 of the vehicle storage battery 13.

As disclosed in FIG. 3, a red, or other colored, lens 40 may be insertedbetween the face of the lamp 22 and the annular ledge 24 so that thebeam directed from the bottom hole portion 25 may be a red light. One ofthe battery leads 37 may be provided with a removable section 411 forreplacement by a flasher unit 4l2. Thus, when the alligator clips 38 areconnected to the motor vehicle battery 13, and the float 12 is placedupon its side, the unit becomes a flashing red emergency signal.

What is claimed is:

l. An illumination device comprising:

a. a buoyant body adapted to float in water, and having a top and abottom,

b. a sealed beam, electric lamp having an illuminating face and a back,

c. a translucent opening through said body,

d. means for supporting said lamp face down in operative positionagainst downward movement through said body, so that light rays fromsaid face project down through said opening, said supporting meansoffering no resistance to upward movement of said lamp,

e. at least one elongated flexible retainer member mounted in said bodyabove and spanning said lamp in operative position,

f. said retainer member being supported in said body for limitedmovement between a normal retaining position engaging a portion of theback of said lamp and a releasing position away from said lamp to permitthe removal of said lamp from said body,

g. a source of electrical energy, and

h. a lead connecting said energy source to said lamp.

2. The invention according to claim I in which said at least oneelongated flexible retainer member comprises two elongated flexiblemembers, each member extending across opposite edge portions of saidback.

3. The invention according to claim 2 further comprising an elongatedbail member extending across the top of said body, the ends of said bailmember being connected to the opposite ends of said flexible members, sothat the lifting of said bail member draws said flexible members tautacross the back of said lamp in retaining position.

4 The invention according to claim 2 in which the means for mountingsaid retainer members comprise guide openings through said bodyreceiving said flexible members for free lon- 5 gitudinal movement.

I t i

1. An illumination device comprising: a. a buoyant body adapted to floatin water, and having a top and a bottom, b. a sealed beam, electric lamphaving an illuminating face and a back, c. a translucent opening throughsaid body, d. means for supporting said lamp face down in operativeposition against downward movement through said body, so that light raysfrom said face project down through said opening, said supporting meansoffering no resistance to upward movement of said lamp, e. at least oneelongated flexible retainer member mounted in said body above andspanning said lamp in operative position, f. said retainer member beingsupported in said body for limited movement between a normal retainingposition engaging a portion of the back of said lamp and a releasingposition away from said lamp to permit the removal of said lamp fromsaid bOdy, g. a source of electrical energy, and h. a lead connectingsaid energy source to said lamp.
 2. The invention according to claim 1in which said at least one elongated flexible retainer member comprisestwo elongated flexible members, each member extending across oppositeedge portions of said back.
 3. The invention according to claim 2further comprising an elongated bail member extending across the top ofsaid body, the ends of said bail member being connected to the oppositeends of said flexible members, so that the lifting of said bail memberdraws said flexible members taut across the back of said lamp inretaining position.
 4. The invention according to claim 2 in which themeans for mounting said retainer members comprise guide openings throughsaid body receiving said flexible members for free longitudinalmovement.